Tatiana is a business woman in the market of Sector 4. She’s also the older daughter of the former (now deceased) sector leader. Zan, a member of the O’Kane gang that runs Sector 4 has had his eye on Tatiana for a long time. She’s got a thing for him, too, but she really values her independence. She’s sure that allying with Zan will make her not only his possession, but Dallas O’Kane’s too. That’s how things worked with her father, and that’s how she initially survived when he was killed, so it’s hard for her to picture any other way.

This was a good short story. Zan and Tatiana were very likable characters. Tatiana is very capable of standing on her own and defending herself, and that doesn’t threaten Zan at all. Tatiana’s weakness for her younger sister was understandable, though it was also annoying. As always, Kit Rocha’s sex scenes are scorchingly well written. There’s no menage sex in this story, and that fit the characters.

This story could probably stand on its own, but it would be much more enjoyable if you’ve read the rest of the series. We get a scene where some of the O’Kanes are enjoying a picnic, and that was delightful! It probably wouldn’t have meant much if I didn’t know all the characters already.

If you’ve read this series, you’ll really enjoy this story. It’s another solid entry in the Beyond world. It doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but it does leave me wanting more! I can’t wait for the next book!

For starters, you really have to read this series in order. You officially start with Beyond Shame, book #1, but if you want a smaller taste, you can read Beyond Solitude, which is #4.5, but stands alone really, really well. And I think you should read this series, because it’s dark and gritty and really, really good. Oh, and it’s really, really hot, too.

Trix has long been a background character in the O’Kane gang. She’s a bartender and a dancer at their bar. At the end of book #4, Beyond Jealously, Trix gets kidnapped and taken to Sector 5, and we learn that’s where she escaped from her life as a prostitute addicted to drugs.

Finn is an enforcer for Mac, the evil overlord of Sector 5. He actually lives just to undermine Mac, and has since Mac facilitated the overdose of Finn’s favorite girl, Tracy. He doesn’t care much about living or dying, but he knows Mac is horrible and he’s working on a one man mission to ruin his rule over Sector 5.

That all changes when Finn is called into Mac’s office and sees the newly kidnapped Trix. Trix is Tracy. She never really died, she escaped to Sector 4 and changed her name. Seeing Trix/Tracy spurs Finn to action like nothing else has, and Trix and Finn end up on the run. They’ve got a twisted history, since their prior relationship took place when Trix was hooked on drugs and Finn was her supplier – giving her the drugs in exchange for sex. They both had deeper feelings, but the addiction between them blurred everything.

So the question is never really whether Trix and Finn love each other, but it’s how can they work through their history and issues together. This is complicated somewhat by Trix now being a member of the O’Kanes. That means Finn will have to find his way to a place in the gang.

The relationship between Trix and Finn was a strong point for me. I really enjoyed watching them find their way to each other with nothing between them. The sex scenes are scorching hot, as expected in this series.

Also as expected in this series there’s a menage scene. That was a bit of a let down for me in this book. It seemed a bit out of place and it didn’t quite work for me. I was also surprised at how easily Finn was accepted as an O’Kane, especially given his history of working for Mac Fleming. Those were the only two week points in the book for me.

Besides Trix and Finn, I really enjoyed checking in with everyone else in the O’Kane gang. So awesome seeing Dallas and Lex truly sharing power. I’m also getting curious-er and curious-er about Doc (whose name is Dylan!). And what’s up with him and Maddox? I want to go back and re-read the entire series, taking notes this time. I thought Maddox was paired up with someone. And then there’s Lili from Sector 5. That’s one messed up lady, so you know she’s going to end up in Sector 4, hopefully getting some control over her life. She’s right up Lex’s alley.

So, if you’re reading the series, who is your favorite character? I’m a huge Noah/Emma fan, but Maddox is probably the one I’m most curious about right now!

*Note: This novella is part of the Alphas After Dark Anthology. The authors report that the anthology will be on sale for 99c in April and after that the novella will be priced at $2.99

So, just as I was finishing up with my review of Beyond Jealousy, I was lucky enough to get this ARC of Beyond Solitude. I devoured it! It takes place at the same time as Beyond Solitude, but could easily be read first. In fact, this one probably stands alone better than any of the stories in the series besides the first one.

Derek Ford is a member of the O’Kane gang. Unfortunately a broken leg and old fashioned healing has left him tied to his desk a whole lot more than he likes. One day he’s surprised to discover Mia in his office. She’s new to the sector and she’s not an O’Kane, but she’s got ties to Lex, the O’Kane queen. Lex gave Mia a job – she’s supposed to help Ford out with his office work. Ford is grumpy and not appreciative of Mia invading his space, but Mia’s determined to make things work.

I showed the following quote to pretty much everyone in my bookclub trying to convince them to read this series!

“I need a job. If you don’t want me to mess with your files, fine—”

“Okay. Don’t mess with my files.”

She didn’t falter, didn’t even blink. “Then tell me what to do instead.”

If I were an asshole… He waved the bottle of whiskey at her. “You could start by letting me drink half of this and jerk off so I can get some sleep.”

That snapped her teeth together—for about five seconds. “If you’re self-conscious about doing that with me in the next room, I could take some work home.”

“Self-conscious?” He dropped the bottle on his desk and unbuckled his belt. “I’ll lay it out right here, buttercup, if you like to watch.”

Her gaze flicked to his hands, and he got that flash of tongue he’d been waiting for as she wet her lips. “I wouldn’t be watching. I’d be working.”

Filing papers like there was nothing more interesting going on? Fuck that. “Bullshit.” Ford tugged open the top button on his jeans. “It may be a little battered these days, like the rest of me, but my ego’s not dead. If I start stroking my dick right in front of you, you’re damn sure gonna be paying attention. Not just watching—riveted.” p.7

This is on page SEVEN! And really, the story starts on page 5, so it’s really like page 3… It’s one hot story.

It’s also got one of the things I like most about the Beyond series – strong women who support each other. Mia has issues. She’s working through them, but it’s really important for her to stand on her own. That means falling for her new boss causes her some problems. The real conflict in this story comes when Ford doesn’t understand why it’s a problem for him to be her boss and lover. The way he makes it up to her is one of the most memorable “I’m sorry” gifts I’ve ever read, though!

This story could probably be read anywhere in the series, as it stands alone really well. It’s tamer than most of the other stories, too, as Mia and Ford aren’t really interested in the orgies or PDA that the rest of the O’Kanes enjoy so much. So, it might even be a good entry point. I highly recommend it, and even though I got a review copy of this short story, I’m still going to buy the anthology. For 99c it’s hard to turn down!